Exercising device



April 3, 1934. c, Q 'PURDY Y 1,953,088

EXERCISING DEVICE Filed Feb. ll, 1932 BY @'TRN EY Patented Apr. 3, 1934UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EXERCISING DEVICE charles G. Purdy,Brooklyn, N. Y.; Maud H. Purdy executrix of said Charles G. Purdy,

deceased The present invention relates to new and useful improvements inexercising devices and it pertains more particularly to devicesespecially designed and constructed for exercising the teeth,

5 gums and all other organs which under a natural diet would receivetheir exercise through the acts of mastication.

In a prior Patent Number 1,466,559, granted to me, August 28, 1923, Ihave shown such a device. but in the device of said patent, it ispossible to exert traction `in one direction only and it has been foundin actual practice that while the device of my prior patent producesmany benecial results, it does not produce maximum ex- 15' ercising ofthe teeth, gums, jaws and other organs.

The device of the present application is an improvementv over that shownin my prior patent above mentioned in that it provides for subject- '20ing the several organs to be exercised to traction in oppositedirections thus insuringthe exercising of the several organs to amaximum degree.

It is one of the primary objects of the pres- 25' ent invention toprovide a device which may be gripped between the teeth of the user andby movement of the head or body or both, subject the teeth, gums andjaws to traction in both a i push and pull direction.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device of thischaracter which may be attached to a suitable support and which willoccupy but little space when not in use.

Another object of theinvention resides in the provision of a mouthpiecewhich may be formed either corresponding to the articulation of theintended user, or which may be in the form of a relatively small blockof rubber which will yield under biting pressure, and thereby conform tothe articulation of the user.

A still further feature of the invention resides in means whereby themouthpiece may be removably attached to the exercising device thusrendering the device capable for use with different mouthpieces.

With the above and other objects in view, reference will be had to theaccompanying drawing, in which;

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the manner of use of adevice constructed in accordance with the present invention,

Figure 2 is a top plan view of a device constructed in accordance withthe present invention,

Figure 3 is a view partly in side elevation and partly insection, thesection being taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 2, and;

Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating a modified form of theinvention.

Referring specifically to the drawing, the de vice comprises a frame 10.The frame consists of a base portion 11 having sides 12 the sides beingspaced to provide an open end. The frame 10 may be supported from a wallor other suitable support by means of a bracket or the like 13, andwhile the frame is herein shown as rigidly carried by said bracket 13,it is obvious that the same may be pivotally mounted therein.

Connected to the sides of the frame 10 in any suitable manner as at 14,there is a plurality of resilient elements 15. These resilient elementsare herein illustrated as in the form of coil springs and these coilsprings are of such length that their inner ends when complementarysprings are placed in alinement will be slightly spaced from each otheras best illustrated in Figure 2.

A bar 17 is connected to the inner ends of the resilient elements 15,and said bar 17 projects as at 18 to a point beyond the outer end of theside members 12 of the frame 10.

The reference numeral 20 designates a mouthpiece and said mouthpiece isremovably attached to the bar 17 by means of a cotter pin, set screw orthe like 21.

This mouthpiece 20 may be of any desired type. I prefer to use amouthpiece which has been preformed to correspond to the articulation ofthe intended user but I have found that this is not always necessarysince in the case of firm teeth, and healthy gums, a mouthpiece formedof soft rubber which will yield under the bite of the user will suiiice.

When the mouthpiece is constructed to correspond with the articulationof the user, I prefer to employ a metal plate 25 about which themouthpiece may be formed. This plate preferably has two arms 26 whichare provided with perforations 27 in order that the mouthpiece may beanchored thereto. An opening 28 is provided to receive the fasteningmeans 21 and it is to be understood that the end of the member 25 whichis provided with the opening 28 will project beyond the mouthpiece inorder to permit of attachment of the same to the bar 17.

In use, the device'is positioned as illustrated in Figure 1 and themouthpiece 20 rrnly gripped between the teeth of the user. The user thenmoves his head in a backwards and forward direction and during thesemovements, the resil- LYSI ient elements 15 are placed under tension.When the head is moved forward, the tension of the resilient elements 15is transmitted to the teeth by a push and when the head is moved in arearward direction, the tension of the resilient elements 15 istransmitted to the teeth in the form of a pull thus providing forsubjecting the teeth to traction in opposite, or push and pulldirections.

From the foregoing it is apparent that the present invention providesmeans by which the teeth, gums and other organs of the mouth aresubjected to maximum exercise in both a push and pull direction andwhich tends to set up a free circulation therein and maintain a healthystate thereof.

While the invention has been herein described in its preferred form, itis to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to thespecific construction herein illustrated and that it may be practiced inother forms Without departing from the spirit thereof.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and what itis desired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A device for exercising the teeth comprising a mouthpiece of suitablematerial, and means connected With the mouthpiece for exerting tractionon said mouthpiece in opposite directions, said means comprising aplurality of coil springs each connected at one end to a support and`atthe opposite end to said mouth-piece. 1

2. A device for exercising the teeth comprising a mouthpiece of suitablematerial, and means connected with the mouthpiece for exerting tractionon said mouthpiece in opposite directions, said means comprising aframe, and a plurality of springs connected at one end to said frame,and at the other end to said mouthpiece.

3. A device of the character described comprising a U-shaped frame, aplurality of resilient members connected to the legs of the frame andextending inwardly thereof, and a mouthpiece connected to the inner endsof said resilient members.

4. A device of the character described comprising in combination with asuitable support, an open frame, a plurality of coil springs connectedat one end to the sides of said frame, a bar carried by the inner endsof said springs, and a mouthpiece carried by said bar.

5. A device of the character described comprising in combination With asuitable support, an open frame, a plurality of coil springs connectedat one end to the sides of said frame, a bar carried by the inner endsof said springs, and a mouthpiece carried by said bar, said mouthpiecebeing detachably connected to the bar.

CHARLES G. PURDY.

